Police Blotter

HIGH VISIBILITY POLICING SLATED FOR DOWNTOWN

As the weather begins to warm we encourage you to visit Downtown Madison. There are many retail businesses, museums, restaurants and bars that are eager to see you.

The Madison Police Department will deploy additional resources in the central city on weekends in an effort to reduce violent, disruptive, and intimidating behavior.

This will be a high-visibility policing effort where officers will look to engage the public in conversation while enforcing relevant ordinances to manage behavior. Officers will patrol on foot, on bicycle, on horse, and in squad cars.

The additional officers, detectives, Traffic enforcement initiatives and the MPD's Crime Prevention & Gang Unit collective goal will be to deter criminal activity and provide a safe environment for everyone to enjoy the greater State Street businesses.

The department has been focused on reducing issues and has worked hand-in-hand with businesses and other city agencies to find solutions. Over the last year the city has improved lighting and installed additional cameras' and adding police staffing during these peak times of calls for service.

Over the last several months, the State Street Neighborhood Officer has been working with State St. area merchant groups including Madison's Central Business Improvement District, Downtown Madison Inc., and the Greater State St. Business Association on a Collective Community Ban. The project is designed to target and deter repeat offenders of State Street business from entering participating businesses.

City staff from a broad spectrum of agencies will continue to meet on a regular basis to identify issues and work toward collaborative solutions.

With that said, the Madison Police Department wants to send a clear message to those who choose to be troublemakers: Violent and disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.